Swine-fever alarm called off at Danish Crown slaughterhouse

There hasn’t been an outbreak of the classical version in Denmark since 1933

Stabbings in Copenhagen over the weekend send three to hospital (Photo: PublicDomainPictures)

May 2nd, 2014 4:37 pm| by admin

Fødevarestyrelsen, the food product authorities, has called off the swine fever alarm after it found that the dead pig found in Danish Crown’s slaughterhouse in Herning did not have swine flu.

The pig in question hailed from a farm located between Skjern and Sønder Felding in Jutland that was owned by a very relieved Kaj Bøndergård.

“I am very pleased with the news,” Bøndergård told Ekstra Bladet tabloid. “It’s been tough to be under suspicion but better safe than sorry. It would be catastrophic if swine fever came to Denmark, so we must all be careful.”

Extra tests Danish Crown temporarily ceased production at its Herning slaughterhouse on Wednesday morning when a pig was found dead in one of the stalls. The slaughterhouse was shut down and 700 pigs in the area were quarantined after a veterinarian suspected swine fever.

The first tests didn’t find any signs of swine fever, but Fødevarestyrelsen wanted extra tests and a final answer didn’t arrive until today.

Danish Crown laid off the 555 slaughterhouse employees on Thursday, but rehired them all after getting the green light.

There hasn’t been an outbreak of the classical version of swine fever (also known as hog cholera) in Denmark since 1933, while African swine fever has never been found in the country.